Both Sides of Life
by IluvLupin
Summary: Oh G-d I'm dead! If they find out, I'm dead!" panicked Isobel as she paced in front of them "You don't get it, they KILL people who do what I have!"Remus thinks he's found the girl of his dreams but could Isobel be part of the evil going on?
1. Year 1: Start of Term

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: This takes place in the Marauder's era from their fifth year until the year after grad.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter one: Year One: Start of Term

Remus Lupin approached the Prefect Carriage to receive his orders from the head boy and girl. His good friends James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew had teased him all summer about being made Prefect, now James and Sirius were laughing that he was use his orders as an excuse to leave them. He stomped off to the carriage while the others found an empty compartment. When he walked in he saw that it was empty except for two girls, the first was..."Lily!" Remus exclaimed in surprise to see Lily Evans, a fellow Gryffindor 5th year. He knew her well since James wouldn't shut up about her, he was absolutely smitten.  
"Hi Remus. So I see you're my fellow Gryffindor Prefect. This is Isobel Lupe the Ravenclaw Prefect." Remus turned his attention to the other girl. Even sitting he could tell that she was tall, lean with long logs. Which were noticeably enhanced by the 3 inch shortened skirt and knee high socks, one blue and one white. Judging by the skirt and socks she was a part of The Ravens, an elite gang of Ravenclaw girls who were all pretty and popular. This girl was no exception. She smiled up at him, her glacier blue eyes and long, icy pale blonde hair gave her a look of cool sophistication. "Hello it's nice to meet you ..." she held out her hand.  
"Oh ah, sorry," Remus apologized realizing he was staring "I'm Remus Lupin." he shook her hand. He tried to hide his wince of pain as his hand burned slightly. Remus looked at Isobel's rings. "Silver?" he asked not really needing to ask. H e was a werewolf; only real silver would cause the burning feeling.  
"Sterling. The only thing I wear." Isobel answered back with a passive face. She looked away as if not wishing to continue on that vein. "Where are the others? I'd like to get back to my friends.' Just then the Head boy and girl trooped in followed by the other Prefects.  
  
Twenty minutes later James and Sirius were grilling him for every bit of info he knew.  
"Did Lily mention me?" James asked for the third millionth time.  
"No. Stop asking. So are going to use your new powers to help us? Hey, you can toss Snivellus in detention! This is going to be the best year yet!" Sirius cheered.  
But Remus felt this was not going to prove true when in class the next day Professor McGonagall informed them of their upcoming OWLs. "These tests will be important in determining your future. You will all need to work hard to ensure the marks you would like. You are all capably of passing." Peter smirked at this "Yes, even you Mr. Pettigrew. Nothing a little hard work can't fix." The class immediately set to work which proved to be more difficult than usual.  
  
"Man, McGonagall wasn't kidding. I mean we almost got homework!" Sirius fumed as they headed off to History of Magic with Slytherin. "I don't know what I would have done if I had." the other looked at him incredulously.  
"Well how about you help me so you what to do if you do get any homework, O Great One." Peter remarked coolly. Remus step in between the two "Look we're here now so just cool it."  
James pointed over to the far seats "Look it's Snivelly ... and he's got his little friends with him." he scowled at the corner where Severus Snape , Evan Rosier and the rest of the 5th year Slytherins sat glaring back.  
"We'll just have to wait for after class." Sirius let out a bark of laughter.


	2. The Ravens

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: This takes place in the Marauder's era from their fifth year until the year after grad.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter two: The Ravens

The four boys sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall for dinner. They had barely touched their seats when Adrian LeFae, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team walked over "Potter!" James looked up at him, he wasn't alone. Just behind him stood the Ravens, the lead girl's hair shone like spun gold and behind her stood...  
"Isobel." Remus stared at her. She gave a slight wave and the lead girl gave her a look.  
Adrian looked puzzled at them all "Anyways James we've got practice this Wednesday."  
Sirius looked over at the Ravens "What's with the Ravenclaw chicks, LeFae?"  
At that the lead girl walked over and slipped her arm around Adrian. "Um, Titania Morrigan is my girlfriend."  
The blonde smiled "Nice to meet you but we really must be going. We'll be seeing you Wednesday's practice. Bye bye now." she kissed her boyfriend and led her pose off.  
Sirius stared at their retreating forms "How'd you land the leader of The Ravens clique? He asked incredulously. "They are like the group. They don't just date anyone."  
Adrian blushed slightly "Well, I guess being the captain of a 3 time cup champion team has made me hot commodity now. I think the whole team is in fact. Hey James maybe I can get Titania to hook you up with someone."  
James shook his head "Nah, don't do that I can get a girl on my own."  
Sirius laughed "Besides Jamesie here only has eyes for a certain redhead Prefect, right there boy." James blush furiously and look down the table at Lily who was talking animatedly with her friends. Adrian looked over at her then clapped James on the back," Well good luck with that one." and walked back to his seat.  
  
James and his friends tromped down to the Quidditch pitch. Down at the pitch, Adrian stood with the other five members of the team. Up in the stands James saw that The Ravens had come to watch. "Are they going to watch?" he asked Adrian.  
Adrian gave a wan smile "Yes, worried about them stealing our secrets to Ravenclaw?" Adrian clapped him on the shoulder "come on let's get changed and show the girls what we can do!"  
  
The Gryffindor team zoomed around the pitch obviously trying to show off in front the most popular girls at Hogwarts. Titania turned to her group of friends. "Well, girls what are we going to do about Gryffindor's single males? Adrian was saying that the other 3 boys don't have girlfriends."  
Isobel shook her head." No, no. Titania don't meddle. Don't get involved. Just leave them alone; can't you just leave well enough alone?"  
Titania gave her a withering look "Don't worry Isobel. I'm not going to meddle...much. I'm just going to see if I can find someone they might like. Help people unite." she smiled slyly over at James Potter's friends. Isobel seemed to be sweet on that werewolf friend. "Well at least we can try to be friends with them."  
A dark red haired girl, Medea, laughed "How pray tell do you plan on doing that?"  
Titania turned to her "Well we'll invite them to one of our gatherings and see if we can't find their One." The girls kept talking and watching the Gryffindor team show off.  
  
Remus, Sirius and Peter sat on the other side of the pitch watching the practice. At least the other two were, Remus staring over at Isobel with her friends. He caught himself,' Look at me I'm becoming as bad as James is with Lily.' He turned back to the game only to a few moments later look back at Isobel. Remus caught sight of more people coming up into the stands. "Uhoh, hey guys we've got company." he pointed over to where a gang of Slytherins were heading over to The Ravens. "Shall we go greet them?" Remus asked his friends.  
  
The Ravens girls continued to chat about the various doings of the students at Hogwarts. Titania saw a shadow fall over the group. Not looking back she asked "Can I help you?"  
"Yes, you can" came a drawling voice "You and your friends can accompany us on the next Hogsmeade trip. What do you say to that?" his friends chuckled softly. Isobel raised an eyebrow. Medea slowly turned her head while responding "I don't know ..." she saw who it was standing behind them. Lucius Malfoy along with his "little cronies" Crabbe and Goyle and the Lestrange brothers, Rodolphus and Rabastan. "Oh...you're Slytherin." she said like she really meant 'Oh ... you're an asshole.' "Sorry but I think we'll be unable to do that. We don't want to catch anything now would we?" Medea smirked.  
"Are these boys bothering you?" Sirius asked loudly from behind the Slytherin boys. Malfoy turned and glared at him "Black. What's a disgrace like you doing here?"  
"I'd go out with him before you, Malfoy. But I think my boyfriend might be bothered by that." Medea shot.  
"Yeah, Rodolphus don't you have a girlfriend? Or did she finally snap out of your spell?" Titania cracked. Rodolphus narrowed his eyes at her "we're still going out. By our own free will thank you very much."  
Titania gave a big smile "Even better. I wonder what she'll do when she hears you're cheating on her. And you Malfoy. Aren't you two dating sisters? They'll just love to hear this, don't you think so girls?" she turned to her friends, they all gave evil grins. Malfoy saw that the Gryffindor team had stopped playing." I'll see you later." he turned to storm off only to walk into Sirius and Remus.  
"If I ever catch you bothering them again Malfoy. You'll have me to deal with." Remus growled at him. Sirius stood up beside him "And me too." The Slytherins stormed off.  
"What's with the help?" Titania asked coyly.  
Sirius glared at the retreating forms." I hate them!" he turned to them "You know their dating my cousins." he sneered.  
Titania placed a hand on his shoulder bowed her head shaking. "I'm so sorry."  
"Well, we only have to deal with Crabbe, Goyle and the older idiot for this year, seeing as it's their last. Then we're free, free as a bird." Isobel said mockingly sang.  
"To have to put up with their bullshit of the rest of them." Added another Raven "Why can't they all graduate this year."  
Titania looked scandalized "Don't say such a thing, Undine. I have quite a lot of fun teasing them. They fall for our tricks every time. I don't want them gone just yet." Medea clasped onto Titania's arm. "Yeah, who else are we going to bother? Not like there's anything else to do.  
Sirius smiled at her "Aw, your a girl after my own heart." he placed his hand over his heart.  
"Yeah, too bad about me having a boyfriend." she smiled back.  
Isobel rolled her eyes "Oh you two please get a room!" Medea turned around and smacked Isobel in the arm. "Give me a break Isobel!" she turned back to Sirius and flashed him a coy smile. "Now where were we." she laughed. Sirius gave a huge grin "Oh ho, what about your boyfriend?" Titania gave a huff. "Come on girls, we'll miss dinner and it's getting cold out." all the other girls stood up. The Gryffindor team reached the girls. "Hey, leaving already? It's only..." Adrian looked at his watch "Wow, 6:30! We should be going in." He placed his arm around Titania. James looked over at his friends." What was with the Slytherin idiots?"  
Remus glanced at the girls "Nothing the scum thought they'd be able to ask them out even with them having boyfriends."  
Sirius laughed "Like they'd have a chance! But the boys don't seem to understand English any more. So we helped them understand."  
James looked over at Adrian and the girls. "Wouldn't worry about the Slytherins I'd be more concerned about Titania. It seems she has this thing for setting people up... And ..." James said eyeing Remus "Not all of them have boyfriends. Come on let's go in for dinner now." Sirius and Peter perked up at this.  
"Food?" Peter asked hopefully.  
Sirius smirked "Yes, Peter that's usually what's served at dinner."


	3. The first attempt

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: This takes place in the Marauder's era from their fifth year until the year after grad.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter two: The Ravens

The first full moon was fast approaching and the Marauders were excitedly working on their plan to become Animagi.  
"So are we going to try tonight?" Sirius whispered to the group during their Defense against the Dark Arts class.  
Remus looked around to check if Professor Cadabra was looking. "Yeah, but we have to be careful. I'm a Prefect if we get caught ..."  
James cut him off "We are not going to get caught. You worry too much Moony, lighten up a bit."  
He leaned conspiritorly over to Sirius and Peter "OK, let's meet in the Room of Requirement after curfew tonight. We can work on it, then hopefully we'll be ready for October's full moon." Remus shook his head. His friends were going to get themselves and him in big trouble one day. He looked up at Isobel sitting with her friends; once again he shook his head. 'I really am as bad as James is with Lily. Jeeze what's gotten into me? She'd never go out with me. I'm a werewolf! What kind of girl would date that!' Remus thought miserably returning his focus to class. Across the room in the center of the 5th year Ravenclaws sat Isobel beside Titania, Medea, Ursula and Undine, flicking a glance at Remus across the room talking with his friends. 'He's certainly a cutie, he is. Nope can't think about that!' she sighed and returned to their note on Unforgivable curses.   
'Blah, blah, blah he just keeps going on and on!' Isobel heard in her mind. Most people would have jumped at this but she was use to it now. 'Titania, you shouldn't do this in class.'  
she heard her friend respond. 'Awww, but if I didn't I wouldn't have happened upon you thinking about a certain werewolf. Sooo, does that mean you like him?'  
Isobel glared at her. 'Keep out of my head! I told you to give at least that privacy please!' Titania rolled her eyes. Isobel huffed and continued to scribble down the note.  
  
Around 9 o'clock that night after James returned from Quidditch practice, the boys got ready to sneak out. Peter ran over to James the moment he came in "Are we going now?"  
James motioned for him to calm down." Calm down Wormtail. Everyone will hear you." He checked around, then leaned in close to the group "Now this is the plan. We each go up to our dorm, one at a time except for Wormtail." he turned to Peter. "You're going to wait to open the door for us OK?" Sirius and Peter were grinning wildly.   
Sirius laid back on the couch and yawned loudly. "I think I'm going to head upstairs." he made a big show of heading upstairs. Five minutes later Remus packed up his books and headed up too. James looked around waiting to go up. Frank Longbottom sat in the corner with some of the other 5th year boys. Adrian LeFae for once wasn't talking strategy with the team but rather sitting with his other group of friends, laughing loudly at some joke. Lily and her friends sat giggling by the fire. When the other girls walk off to bed a few second later James got up and sat next to her. "Hey Evans. How you doing?"  
She turned and glared at him" Why are you here Potter? Don't you have some fan girl to primp for?" she shot back.  
James placed up his arms in surrender." I just came to talk, don't have to bite my head off!"  
Lily blushed slightly and turned away. "What do you want to talk about? How about how you hex anyone in your way in the halls? Or how you continually ruffle your hair so it looks like you just step off your broomstick? Or how you constantly pick on Snape? Are any of them what you wanted to talk about, 'cause I'm not interested otherwise."  
James gaped for a moment then regaining his composure, he ran his hand through his hair. "No, Lily actually I came to ask if you'd go with me to Hogsmeade, like on a date."  
Lily turned to him "I WOULD NEVER GO OUT WITH YOU POTTER! NOT EVEN IF YOU WERE THE LAST MAN ALIVE!" she stomped off to her dorm. James just sat there flabbergasted by Lily's whole outburst. Everyone in Gryffindor Tower was staring at him. He got up and without a word headed upstairs. Sirius and Remus were waiting for him.  
Sirius was smiled at James "Well have a nice conversation with the lovely Miss Evans?" Even Remus was laughing.  
James blushed "You heard?" the two boys nodded laughing silently. "I think everyone heard her Prongs." Sirius grinned. Remus sighed "Let's just get your cloak and go."  
  
Down in the Room of Requirement the four Marauders tried to finish the Animagi transformation (well James, Sirius and Peter did , Remus helped.)  
"OK according to the book, you're suppose to focus on the transformation." Remus looked back up at his friends who were in various states of transformation. "Let's try it again." he sighed and helped the others return Wormtail to his original state. They continued to work on the transformations for another hour and a half. They were getting closer, there was only a little human remaining every time they tried.  
"Let's head back up. I've got homework to do." James said collapsing on the ground. The four boys slipped back down the corridors under the cloak. They were almost at the Fat Lady's portrait, when that heard voices echoing down the hall. "Shhh, if you don't keep quiet we'll get caught by Filch for sure." giggles followed this admonishment. All four boys froze under the cloak.  
Around the corner came some of The Ravens with Titania in the lead. All of them were in their stocking feet. Isobel looked around nervously. "Can we just hurry up and do this. Preferably before we get caught."  
Titania rolled her eyes. "We won't get caught. All the good little boys and girls are all safely tuck away in their dorms." she smiled and crept down the hall once more.  
Sirius looked at James and mouthed "What are they doing?" James shrugged back.  
The girls crept down the hall pass Gryffindor Tower to the History of Magic classroom.  
"Man, Eden is so going to freak when she sees this!" Cried Undine, a girl whose hair was surprisingly neither blonde, brunette nor red but a mix of the three. The girls were 'decorating' her desk for her birthday tomorrow. "Too bad we're not in the same class as her." Isobel grinned.  
They finished the last bit of the surprise. Medea looked around the corridor from inside the door. "OK it's clear, we can go." The girls slipped out into the corridor and crept silently back to the Ravenclaw Tower common room.  
Sirius, James, Peter and Remus watched as girls treaded soundlessly down the hall. Remus stared at their retreating forms. Then returned to the moment "Hey how are we going to get back in without anyone noticing?" he asked worriedly to his friends.  
"Um, I guess we could stay under the cloak and go back in. If anyone asks tomorrow we'll just say it was a ghost or something." James said quickly. They sidled up to the Fat Lady's portrait.  
"Open says me." Sirius called out the password. She swung open deeply disturbed that there was no one there. The boys were lucky, it seemed everyone had called it an early night. They headed up to their dorm room where they finally pulled off the invisibility cloak of James'.  
"That was close." Peter whimpered " We could have been caught or stuck outside all night!" he panicked slightly.  
"Oh please! Wormtail, you worry more than Moony here." Sirius scoffed.  
James collapsed onto his bed "Augh, I'm exhausted maybe I should turn in for the night."  
Remus looked puzzled " But we came back because you had homework!"  
James rolled onto hiss side. "I know but I just don't want to do it tonight. I'm too drained."


	4. Beginnings

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: This takes place in the Marauder's era from their fifth year until the year after grad.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter four: Beginnings

Three weeks later at Quidditch practice Adrian approached  
James "Hey James, Titania and her friends were planning a little get together  
tonight and she wanted you and your friends to come. The team's all coming.  
What do you say?"  
James scratched his head "I don't know, what would we be doing?"  
Sirius walked up to the two boys "Hey what's up?"  
Adrian turned to him "Well I was asking James if you guys wanted to go to a party with The Ravens, but..."  
Sirius grinned like a madman "Definitely, when is it?"  
Adrian grinned back "That's great! I'll tell Titania. We're meeting here at midnight tonight. See ya boys." With that Adrian loped off to the castle.  
Sirius looked over at James "This is so going to be great!"  
James began to grin at Sirius' enthusiasm. He was beginning to feel better about this. "I mean think of all the cute girls that'll be there." Sirius went on.  
"Be where?" asked Remus slightly breathless, as he and Peter finally caught up with Sirius.  
"The Ravens have invited us and the Gryffindor team to a party tonight." Sang Sirius as he did a little dance around the change room.  
Remus started at this news "A party with The Ravens! Why would they invite us?"  
James spoke up "I don't think that they invited us. Adrian did." He huffed loudly.  
"Well maybe Titania did invite you. The way Adrian talks, you'd think she views her life's mission is to get people together. So she could have invited us James.' Remus reminded James.  
  
The boys quickly got ready for the party, trying desperately not to wake their roommate Frank Longbottom.  
"Come on we're going to be late!" Remus called quietly. Frank Longbottom gave a loud snort in his sleep.  
James gave one last look in the mirror and after messing his hair he stood up "Well I'm ready to go."  
Sirius nodded "Yup, me too." He headed for the door. Peter chased after them "hey wait up!"  
  
The Marauders hurried through the grounds to the Quidditch pitch. In the center stood The Ravens and the Gryffindor team. "Hiya boys!" cried out Titania waving at them. "All right first up is a nice game of capture the flag. So we'll divide into two teams. First captain well be Adrian and Medea will be the other. Captains pick your teams."  
The group was split in two. Adrian had James, Remus, Ursula, Undine, five other Ravens and the Gryffindor beaters. Medea had Titania, Isobel, Sirius, Peter and the rest of The Ravens and Gryffindor team. "OK the rules are as follows...." Explained Titania.  
The teams went off to play. During the second game, Titania and Isobel leaned close 'OK, here's the plan, you go around and distract them while I sneak up and get the flag. Adrian and James were guarding the piece of colored cloth tied around the goal post, while their teammates ran around stopping Medea's and trying to cross onto the other side.  
Titania ran up the side dodging person after person until she was close to the post and Adrian. "Hey, lover boy. Come and get me!' she yelled running back towards the stands. Adrian chased after her.  
James spotted one of Medea's teammates trying to free their friends from the jail "Hey!" he shouted and ran after her leaving the flag unguarded. Isobel ran up the other side keeping out of sight as much as possible. The flag was unguarded and only meters away. She began to run at top speed. Remus jumped out of nowhere in front of her. "Ahhh!" she screamed still heading right at him. His eyes widened, as she got closer. At the last second Isobel dived through Remus' legs and scrambled to the flag. She ripped it off the pole "Yeah! We won! We won!" she cheered and yelled. Everyone stopped and over, Adrian had caught Titania in his arms, James stopped midstep still chasing the same girl and Remus stood only feet away gaping at her. 'Did she...what the...she...' he thought not comprehending what had past. Titania slipped from Adrian's grasp and headed back to the center of field "Well, I think that's it's late enough so after refreshments I'll tell our next activity." The group ate up as Titania explained what would happen. "We have to be very quiet we don't want to be caught." She whispered creeping along the 7th floor.  
"What do you think we're going to do?" asked Sirius, his friends just shrugged back. The corridor was deserted "OK I'll be it, now everyone else hides while I count and the first 5 people I find have to help me locate the others. Otherwise meet back here when you're caught. Alright let's begin." Ursula closed her eyes and began the count down everyone scattered except for a few of the Gryffindors. Isobel began to go when she noticed them "Come on!" she called grabbing Remus' hand and tore off down the hall with the Marauders in tow. Titania was leading the rest off the other way. Soon Isobel and Remus were completely lost. They had lost the other at the first corner. "Hey, in here." Remus whispered pulling Isobel into a broom closet. It was a tight fit, Isobel was pressed up against Remus." I guess we wait 'til they find us." She whispered.

Titania walked by the closet. She knew full well that Isobel and Remus were in there. She smiled evilly and locked the door, then hurried off to find a place herself.  
Isobel and Remus shifted uncomfortably in their hiding place, more from being near each other than the tight space. He shifted around so to be more comfortable and wound up with his face barely inches away from hers. It was too dark to make out the details of her face but he could feel her breath on his cheek. His heart was pounding in his chest. 'Just calm down  
Remus! Get a grip!'  
Isobel moved her hand out from between a mop and the wall; it brushed against Remus' stomach. 'My God talk about a six pack!' she could feel the heat radiating off his body. Their eyes met and at the same time  
their lips brushed against each other's. Remus pulled her in close, placing his hands on her waist. Isobel circled her hands around his neck leaning into the kiss.  
'Her lips are so soft.' Remus thought as he stood there.  
'God he tastes great!' Isobel thought tightening her hold his neck. They parted seconds later but still held on to each other and again they looked into each other's eyes. Realizing the compromising position they were in they let go. Isobel slid her hands down his well-built chest.  
Remus cupped her cheek with his hand and gently kissed her again.  
When they parted Isobel looked up at him "We really got to stop doing this." She said smiling softly into his hand.  
"I know we could be found at any moment." He said resting his forehead against hers.  
  
Outside the others ran about looking for them and the other Marauders and a few Ravens. Medea and Ursula stopped outside the broom closet "Have you seen the others?" Medea asked, "I haven't seen Isobel, the Marauders and those two third years that I can never remember their names, you know what's-their-faces." Ursula shook her head "Nope, they've hidden well. Maybe Titania got them." She said throwing a knowing look at Medea "You know her little plan. Maybe that's what's happened. They'll show up... eventually. She couldn't have gotten rid of them." The two wandered off.  
  
Isobel hear them talking outside 'They don't know we're in here.' She thought. She rested her head against Remus' shoulder "Maybe we should leave. Separately of course." She said quickly.  
Remus was hurt; she didn't want to be seen with him. He knew that kiss was too good to be true. He turned away from her.  
"What?" she asked, he had suddenly turned cold towards her. Isobel couldn't understand how'd he want to be seen with her, in front of his friends, at least right now. Too many awkward questions about what happened.  
"Nothing, everything's fine." He stared at the wall.  
She pulled his face back towards her. "Hey I only thought that you'd want to avoid the awkwardness of the whole scene."  
He breathed her in. "Are you ashamed of me? Did that kiss mean nothing to you?" he asked in a harsh whisper against her neck.  
She turned her head towards his neck "Of course. Do you want to go out? ... I mean together? ...I mean leave here together?" He turned his head so quickly towards hers that he got a crick in his neck. "Did I hear you correctly? Do you want to go out with me?"  
Isobel smiled sweetly at him "Are you asking me on a date, Remus?" wrapping her arms around his neck.  
Remus smiled back pulling her in close "I guess I am. Isobel do you want to go on a date with me?" They kissed again.  
  
Titania stood before the door 'they've had enough time in there by now. She quietly unlocked the door and scurried off to tell Medea where to find the two. "Be careful though, who knows what they've gotten to." Medea jiggled the door handle before throwing the door wide open. Isobel had her hands all over Remus. His were dangerously low down her back. "Hem, hem." Medea coughed. The two looked up guiltily.  
"Medea! You ah... caught us!" Isobel gasped, fixing her  
clothes. Medea smiled "Come on love birds everyone is back already. Time to call it a night." With that Medea headed back to the group. They looked at each other. "Well time to face the music or at least our friends." Isobel smiled wryly at Remus and held his hand. He smiled back and they walked back to the group. Sirius and James both wore wide grins. "Well look who has decided to grace us with their presences. Did you kids have fun?" Sirius laughed.  
"Yeah you two are Prefects. You're suppose to set an example for the rest of us." James chuckled too.  
Remus shook his head "I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?"  
The boys shook their heads.  
"Nope."  
"Never buddy." James and Sirius continued to laugh as they headed back to  
Gryffindor House. "Shh you two we'll be caught if you don't shut up." Peter hissed. Remus was to lose in thought to notice their noise. They were still snickering when they climbed into bed.  
Remus sighed 'I'm really not going to hear the end of this.'


	5. Classes

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: I think that chapter three might say chapter two still but it IS chapter three just forgot to change the heading.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter Five: Classes

At breakfast in the Great Hall the next morning, Isobel and Remus kept throwing glances at each other across the hall. He caught her eye and she blushed and turned away.  
"Hey Moony! Earth to Remus!"  
Remus snapped back and turned to his friends "Huh?"  
James snickered "I asked if you wanted to help us with the transformations again... or are you too busy with your new girl for your friends?"  
"No, no. It sounds like a good idea. When are we going to do it? Tomorrow's the Hogsmeade trip." Remus said returning to his cooling breakfast.  
Sirius threw him a look "Sooo, are you two going to be going to Hogsmeade together?  
"Shove it, Padfoot." Remus shot him a look back "How about Sunday? We can work all day on the transformations. You wanted to join me on the full moon right? Well it's less than two weeks away." The other boys grinned. Moony was back and better than before.

Isobel followed the action over at the Gryffindor table. The Marauders were fighting over something. She let out a sigh.  
Ursula looked at her from across the table. "What's up? Miss your guy already? Oh, come it's only been one day, not even! Get over it!"  
Isobel pushed Ursula out of her seat "Oh, shut up! I am not pining over Remus." She glared at the rest of them after the comment "Are you pining for the fjords?" She looked evilly at them "Don't any of you start."  
Titania playfully pushed Isobel "Oh come on. There's no need for that. We aren't going to harass you."   
"Much." Isobel shot back.  
Titania rolled her eyes "No, I have much more important things to do, like setting up the other Marauders." She looked over at the Gryffindor table. The boys were getting up to leave the Great Hall.  
"Hey, don't we have class with them first?" asked Medea noticing that all the Gryffindor 5th years were leaving.  
"Bloody Hell! We better get going." Titania cursed jumping up from the table. They all ran after the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw 5th years.  
  
The Gryffindor and Ravenclaws sat semi-quietly as Professor Cadabra drone on and on about different dark creatures they were going to start studying over the next two weeks. "Boggarts, Grindylows, Red caps, Kappas, Werewolves," Remus gave a slight spasm at that "Vampires, Giants, and lastly...Faeries." All The Ravens jumped slightly at that and a few Gryffindors did too. "Now, now students, there is nothing to fear from them. At least not in here. There are no faeries here." Professor Cadabra placated  
Titania exchanged glances with the other Ravens. One Gryffindor sitting beside Adrian gave a small smirk. Isobel gave a sidelong glare to Robin Goodfellow. He was Adrian's best friend, but that didn't mean she had to like the little toad. She then slid her glance over to Remus. He seemed busy writing something. 'I bet he understands what it feels like right now. Being called a dark creature! Poor Remus.'  
Remus scribbled down his note to Isobel quickly then passed it under the desks toward Isobel. The Gryffindors threw puzzled looks over to Remus and the Ravenclaws threw puzzled looks to Isobel. Isobel pulled open the note:  
  
Isobel,  
I want to know if you'd come with me to Hogsmeade this Saturday. Please answer back.  
Remus  
  
Isobel smiled down at the note. She scribbled back her answer and passed it back. Remus broke into a wide grin when he read her answer. 'This weekend is going to be great!' He was still grinning an hour later when they headed down to Potions.  
"What are you so happy about?" Remarked a cold voice.

Remus looked up to see Snape standing outside the Potions classroom alone.  
James and Sirius exchanged glances. "Why hello Snivellus! What a surprise to see you here!" James bellowed. All the students looked over, they could tell a fight was about to begin. Snape pulled out his wand quickly but Sirius had already begun his spell "Expelliarmus!" Snape's wand flew from his hand and caused a group of Gryffindors to scatter to avoid being hit. Snape scrabbled over to his wand but as he went to reach for it "Impedimenta!" cried James causing Snape to fly back hitting the dungeon door. He hit the floor stunned. The door flew open hitting Snape in the head. "MR. SNAPE WHY ARE YOU SITTING ON THE FLOOR? AND WHAT ARE YOU ...CHILDREN DOING OUT HERE? IT SOUNDS LIKE AN EXPOLSION WENT OFF! Get in the class and stop misbehaving! Ten points from Gryffindor..." The Slytherins smiled at this and the Gryffindors groaned. "And Slytherin." With that Professor Screaver walked back into the class and the two groups walked in after him.  
The Marauders sat down in their seats and all turned to look at Remus "So..." whispered Peter.  
"So what?" he whispered back.  
"What did Isobel say?" asked James.  
Remus shifted uncomfortably "Um, well..."  
Sirius leaned over "Well... Don't leave us hanging."  
Again Remus shifted around in his seat. "She said... yes."

The boys sent up a little cheer. Professor Screaver glared at them.  
"Why didn't you tell us? You sly old wolf! See it's not just me and Jamesie that can get the girls." Sirius remarked.  
Remus rolled his eyes "Gee, thanks there Padfoot. You're such a help you know. We're going to Hogsmeade together tomorrow." Remus turned back to his caldron.  
  
Isobel stood in Care of Magical Creatures, next to Hagrid's hut looking at the unicorn. The Ravens hung at the back not paying attention to Professor Kettleburn "Well what did he write?" Undine asked slyly.  
'Stop talking about it. Not everyone needs to know.' Isobel hissed over their connection.  
Titania rolled her eyes. 'Well what happened? We know about the closet. So fess up!'  
Isobel sighed. 'He asked me out Saturday.' The girls gave a little squeal.  
'Well girlfriend we're going to have to get you all prettied up then.' Isobel rolled her eyes and focused back on the professor.  
  
The Ravens headed back to the Ravenclaw common room before dinner to drop off their bags.  
"What's the plan for tonight?" asked Ursula in a whisper to Titania.  
"Well Adrian and I are having a picnic tonight under the stars so I'll see you guys tomorrow." With that Titania gave them one last smile and headed back out.  
Isobel collapsed on one of the snow white sofas. She had no sooner laid down when one of the fourth year Ravens appeared hovering over her "What do you want, Rowena?" she asked looking up into the upside down image of the girl's angry face.  
"I want you to do something about Professor Cadabra teaching Faeries as Dark Creatures!" she spat.  
"Not this again!" cried out Medea.  
Rowena turned to her "You've had other complaints?"  
Ursula came over "Yeah, Lydia in Slytherin, The Hufflepuff Merchant Society and of course the wonderful Mr. LeFae."  
Rowena looked pissed "Well are you going to do something?"  
The girls shook their heads "No take it up with Titania, but Milady and Milord are on a date sooo, wait 'til tomorrow." With that the three girls trooped out of the Common room to dinner.  
Down in the Great Hall all the Houses were in a dizzy. The Ravens had people from all the Houses common up to them to complain about Defense against the Dark Arts. Isobel looked up to the teachers' table where Dumbledore sat talking to Professor Cadabra. 'It'd probably be too much to hope that he's telling him off now isn't it.' She thought mirthlessly.


	6. Hogsmeade

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: I think that chapter three might say chapter two still but it IS chapter three just forgot to change the heading.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter Six: Hogsmeade

Saturday dawned bright and blue over Hogwarts. Isobel awoke within a curtain of pale blonde hair. "Ugh!" she groaned, pushing her hair out of the way.  
Titania, Medea, Undine and Ursula stirred also in their beds as the sun shone through the window.  
"What time is it?"  
"Do we have to get up yet?"  
"What day is it?"  
The others yawned out.  
Titania's eyes flew open again "It's Saturday! Isobel's date! We've got to get Polaris all ready!" and she jumped out of bed.  
Isobel groaned again as Titania pranced about the room "You must have had a good night last night." She said peering at her with one eye.  
Titania stopped dead in her tracks and spun around quickly to look at her. "Oh come on Titania! We all know it's not like it's a big secret what you two are doing."  
Titania kept looking at her for a minute before relaxing "We haven't done that yet."  
Isobel finally rolled out of bed.  
"Come on let's go down for breakfast then we can plan our.... Plan of attack for the day." Chimed in Ursula.  
The girls ate their breakfast while most of the school still slept on. Then they spent most of the morning getting ready to set out for Hogsmeade. At 11 o'clock the girls trooped down to the Entrance Hall to meet up with other they'd be going with. Isobel headed over to where the Marauders sat waiting for the line to shrink. "Hey there." She said quietly.  
The boys looked up at her "Hey." Remus breathed back. "You look..." he gaped "Wonderful." The others gave a small snort. "Wanna get going?" he asked, Isobel gave a small shrug "OK."  
  
They walked down to Hogsmeade, talking along the way "My God! My friends get into sooo much trouble! Last summer they thought it would be funny if they put a rattlesnake in Medea's brother, Theasus' bed. Suffice to say he was not pleased. I'm the one who has to keep them in check, which is near impossible because they don't like to listen."  
Remus shook his head "I know what you mean. The guys won't listen to me either."  
She shrugged "Maybe that's the problem. Us telling them off spurs them on. Oh well. What do you think of Professor Cadabra?"  
Remus squirmed "Well he's alright I guess. I don't know."  
'Amazing we both can't say why we hate Professor Cadabra.' "I think he takes the whole Dark Creature too far. It's like anything that's not human is an evil creature."  
He looked at her 'Wow! She understands how it feels to be outcasted by wizards but... She couldn't be a werewolf, could she?' Remus shook his head 'No she can't be, she would transform too but I've never seen her. And there is the silver; hey she's not wearing it.' He now noticed that she didn't have her rings on.  
Isobel batted her eyes coyly "What ya thinking?" she asked 'Too bad I can't tell you the real reason why I hate Professor Cadabra.' She clasped her hands around his arm.  
"It seems we have a lot in common." He said.  
'More than you think, more than you think. And a lot less.' She mussed.  
They soon arrived in Hogsmeade "Where should we go?" Remus asked looking over at Isobel.  
Other students ran about the street the two stood.  
"Dunno, where do you want to go?"  
Remus ran his hand nervously through her hair "How bout the Three Broomsticks? My friends won't have arrived there yet so we'll be alone for... about two minutes." He smiled.  
Isobel laughed, "Sounds good. Hopefully mine will stay out too. But I doubt it."  
They headed into the crowded pub and took a seat at a table at the back. Madam Rosmerta, the young woman who owned the bar came over.  
"Remus! Isobel! Quite the surprise to see you two away from your groups. Had a falling out?" she joked know full well what was going on.  
Both teens blushed "Well we're on a... um date, sorta." Remus went beet red. "But my friends will likely be in any moment now."  
Isobel piped up "Yeah, mine too. They'd definitely not miss the chance."  
Madam Rosmerta smiled at them "Well have a good time and I'll be back with your drinks." The two turned back towards each other, but the crash of the door opening caused them to look up.  
"Oh no."  
"Damn!"  
Both sets of friends had walked in, together! And were making their way through the crowd.  
"I knew that they'd wouldn't be able to leave me alone." They said in unison. The two groups seemed to have finally caught sight of the pair, they giggled slight to one another before heading over to the new couple.  
"So this is where you guys decided to hid." Titania remarked  
"Why can't you leave my alone!" Isobel bemoaned.  
"Awww, Does little Remus not like us interrupting his date." Sirius mocked in a little baby voice.  
"Cut it out guys! I'd leave you alone." Remus snarled.  
The boys just laughed and went over to order their drinks.  
The Ravens said good-bye.  
By the end of the day Remus and Isobel were closer than ever. They walked back up to the castle holding hands. "I had a great time today with you , Remus." Isobel smiled up at Remus as they stopped at the intersection in the third floor corridor where they had to part.  
He smiled back "So did I."  
Isobel brought her face close to Remus "Well..." she said coyly.  
"So..." he answered placing his arms around her waist. She leaned in closer. They kissed sweetly for a few minutes before pulling apart.  
Isobel smiled slightly "I'll see you at dinner." With that she turned and headed back up to Ravenclaw Tower. Remus just stood there in a daze. 'Wow! What a girl. And she's like me! Me!' He actually skipped back to Gryffindor Tower. When he entered the common room James, Sirius and Peter immediately came over to him.  
"So... how did it go?" James asked.  
'Well how bout I play with their minds.' "What couldn't you hear from your seats?" he retorted.  
Sirius jerked back slightly at that "Whoa! Don't need to bite our heads off about it. If it didn't go well that's cool."  
Remus smiled "That's nice, Padfoot but it didn't go bad. In fact it was good."  
Sirius broke into a wide grin "See I knew you could do it. You've just landed on e of the most popular girls in the school. Oh man, every guy is going to be jealous!"  
That sentence brought Remus back to reality. Isobel was a Raven. 'What does she see in me? She could have anyone.' He let out a breath.  
"What's wrong?" Peter asked.  
"Oh nothing." He said waving them off. He then turned back around "What does she see in me?! She could have anyone at this school, yet she chose me. Why?!"  
James gestured for Remus to calm down as his outburst had caused others to look. "Hey she picked you like you said. You've gotta have something if Isobel, a Raven, wants to go out with you. Don't knock it."

Isobel tried to sneak into the Ravenclaw common room but no such luck. The rebuilt Ravenclaw Tower had a very open common room and to get to the girls stairs you had to walk straight through the room. She tiptoed through the quiet room. A couple first years were asleep by the fire. She slipped around the circular stairs to the girls' side, in the back around the potions counter stood her friends and roommates. "Hey your back!" shouted both groups as one.  
"So how'd your date with Remus go?" asked Ursula.  
"Yeah give us all the details about Hogwarts resident werewolf." Chimed in Undine. The other girls looked at her.  
"Undine we're not supposed to know that!" hissed Medea.

Undine blushed.  
"We're not supposed to know half the stuff we do!" Titania spat.  
Isobel step up between them "Hey, it's alright just a slip up. Do you want to hear about my date or not?" The girls nodded "Well... it was wonderful! We have so much in common. Ohh, I can't wait to go out again!" Isobel collapsed into a chair.  
"So did he tell you anything about his friends?" Titania asked.  
Isobel rolled her eyes "Yes, James is obsessed with Lily Evens. Sirius and Peter, well Peter doesn't count, don't have eyes on anyone."  
Titania rubbed her hands together. "This is good, very good! Well the next step is to get James and Lily together!" she thrust her hand into the air.  
Medea and Isobel exchanged looks. 'Here we go again!' she decided to change the subject. "So Titania what are you going to do about all these complaints we've been having? Everybody has been screaming about Professor Cadabra teaching Faeries as dark creatures."  
Titania let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know. I can't go up to him and complain, the teachers don't know about Faeries being at the school. Maybe I'll talk to Dumbledore about it. Maybe he can do something."


	7. Full Moon and storms brewing

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: I think that chapter three might say chapter two still but it IS chapter three just forgot to change the heading.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter Seven: Full Moon and Storms brewing

Halloween was drawing nearer; with only two days left the decorations were everywhere as were the rumors. Almost everyone knew about Remus and Isobel's date and secretly behind everyone's back students were whispering about the Defense against the Dark Arts classes. They had covered Boggarts, Grindylows, Vampires and Red Caps. Next up on the list was Faeries and werewolves. Titania had gone to speak Dumbledore about Professor Cadabra but nothing had happened yet. Isobel was getting tense she was terrified that someone would discover her secret. Remus was equally nervous looking. Isobel walked down the hall surrounded by her friends when Remus came around with his. Their eyes met and she gave a slight smile. His friends teased and pushed him after they caught their eyes. "Oh Moony are you making goo-goo eyes at your girl?" James asked.  
"Cut it out guys! I'm serious!" Remus demanded. "But what would be the fun in that!" Sirius snickered. "Oh, oh here she comes now!" he called as the watched Isobel pull away from her friends and head over.  
"Hey." Remus greeted.  
"Hey." She answered back. "Sooo, what are you doing Halloween?" Isobel asked.  
He rubbed his neck "Um, I'm busy. I have to visit my sick mum. Sorry."  
She looked at him funnily for a second before asking "What phase of the moon is it tonight?"  
The Marauders all jumped slightly at this. 'Oh God! Does she know that I'm a werewolf? We were going to try the Animagi for the first time tonight. She can't know!' "Uh, I think it's a waxing moon. It'll be full Halloween, Why?" Remus asked trying to stay cool.  
"Oh no reason. I couldn't remember. I always watch the full moon. Well hope your mother feels better soon." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before leaving.  
James ran his hand through his hair making it stand up in all directions. "Well that was weird."  
Sirius looked over to where The Ravens stood "Yeah, what was that about?"  
"She doesn't know does she?" asked Peter nervously.  
Remus shook his head "I don't know, I don't know."  
James look at him "Did you tell her about..." he looked around "About being a werewolf."  
Remus shook his head fervently "No I haven't told anything. But she can't know, can she?"  
  
Remus was lead down to the Womping Willow by Madam Pomfrey that evening. He looked up at the setting sun. Something caught his eye up on the Astronomy Tower. Someone was up there. 'I wonder who that could be? Odd that someone would be up there.' Remus slipped down the tunnel into the Shrieking Shack. Soon the pain of the transformation drove all  
thoughts of the person on the Tower out. Shortly the rest of the Marauders joined him in their animal forms, James, a stage, Sirius, a large black dog, and Peter, the smallest, a rat. Sirius barked 'What are we going to do?' Padfoot looked puzzled.  
'Hey I can here you?' squeaked Wormtail.  
'Let's get this party started!' Prongs snorted. The Marauders crept back out and began to explore Hogwarts' grounds.  
  
Isobel lead against the battlements of the Astronomy Tower and let out a deep sigh.  
"What's up girlfriend?" called out voice behind her. She turned to see Sadie standing behind her. "Hey there girl, how's it going down by the kitchen?" she shot back playfully. Sadie was a seventh year Hufflepuff and a member of The Fool's Court. "Meeting goin' to start soon?' Isobel asked. Sadie shook her head "Nah, not for another five minutes, Polaris." The trap door opened and out stepped Titania with Adrian, Robin Goodfellow, and Lydia, a fourth year Slytherin- but they didn't hold that against her. "Finally! What took you so long, couldn't find your way?" joked Sadie.  
Titania shot her a dirty look "We still need Medea, Ursula and Undine." The rest of the group arrived second later. "Hey let's get everyone in shall we." 'Hey boys and girls so as The Queen of Fools...' Titania jokingly addressing the other members not at the school. 'I hereby start this meeting. Anyone have any news to bring forth?' she smiled  
'Yes, Lady. I must ask Polaris how it is going with that boy she is seeing. Hope your parents don't find out.' Remarked Bengali or Ian Kiegaard.  
'What Polaris is dating someone at that school?!' exclaimed Sean.  
'Ha-ha, very funny! Just remember what happens to traitors here!' Polaris answered back  
'Hey, hey I was just kidding I would never betray the group. What kind of friend would I be?'  
The meeting went on from there but it only got more disturbing.  
'Troops have been massing in the mountains for the last week. We fear the Fromhoire are gathering for war against the Kingdom.'  
Titania gave Adrian a grave look. 'Are we sure they are?' she asked.  
'Yes Lady, They're planning to attack. We will most likely be at war when you return home for the holidays.'  
Isobel heard someone swear. "Now what do we do?" she whispered looking at the Womping Willow. How could she go home to a war? How could she come back to Hogwarts and pretend she hadn't fought, hadn't killed? Isobel stayed up on the Tower after the meeting ended and the others left.  
  
The Marauders clamored around the grounds searching every nook and cranny. Moony looked up again at the Astronomy Tower after picking up a scent, it didn't make him hungry like humans did, it was different, familiar somehow. He had to find out what it was.  
Moony began to move off towards the tower. The other Marauders chased after him. He scrambled up the stairs to the tower ignoring the heavy scent of humans  
around. Reaching the top he breathed in the scent. Something about it unnerved the wolf inside but Remus liked it.  
'What is that?' asked Wormtail.  
'It smells like apples, no flowers and something else.' added Prongs.  
'Come on we Moony. The sun's going to rise soon, gotta get back.' Padfoot reminded them. The Marauders headed back to the Shrieking Shack but Remus couldn't get the smell out of his mind.


	8. Holiday time

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: I think that chapter three might say chapter two still but it IS chapter three just forgot to change the heading.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter Eight: Holiday time

Although the decorations were the best they ever were, a gloom hung over the Halloween feast. James was bummed by another rejection from Lily. Remus looked over the Hall 'But that doesn't explain the mood. Or why Isobel hasn't talked to me in three days.  
What could be wrong?' He stared over at the Ravenclaw table which was eerily silent.

Isobel sat deathly quiet with the rest of The Ravens. She kept looking over at Remus. His group wasn't as talkative as normal either. James had been rejected by Lily again. 'Well I guess it was good while it lasted. With this war there no way we'll stay together.'  
'Don't say that Polaris!' Medea chided her 'You'll  
stick together. I don't see you two as people who give up quickly.' Isobel  
smiled at her.

The months flew by and Medea was right. Isobel and Remus didn't break up but became closer. People started to call them the cutest couple. Professor Cadabra stopped teaching Faeries the day after he began, which surprised much of the student body. Isobel's studies drove away all thoughts of war out of her head. But when Christmas neared the thoughts returned. One day as Remus and she walked across the snow covered lawns, Remus turned to her "Isobel we've been dating...for about two months now and well IwantedtoknowifyouwantedtocomeovertomyhouseforChristmas." He said in a hurry.  
Isobel smiled at him "Oh, that's so sweet but I can't."

Remus looked crushed. "I'm so sorry but I promised my sisters that I'd be home for the holidays this year. I was in St. Martins last year and well it's my sister Mercedes' last year at home so I have to. Trust me I'd rather go home with you than to spend my holidays pretending to be interested in what my parents have to say." She turned herself around so that she was facing directly at him.  
She held out her hand, Remus took it. "Alright I understand. Can't say that I'm not crushed but I understand."  
They stood there like this for a few minutes before Hagrid came along. "'Ello there Isobel, Remus. Whatcha doin' here?"  
Isobel looked up at Hagrid. "Hi, Hagrid. We're um...just enjoying the sun."  
Remus looked up too. "Uh, yeah just out here enjoying the beautiful weather."  
Hagrid smiled "Well don't be out too long now. Don't want to catch yer death." And Hagrid clomped off.  
"Well I guess we're going to have to make the most of this week, now aren't we?" Isobel smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.  
Remus pulled her in closer. "And what pray tell does that include?"  
She gave him a wide grin "Oh I think you have a pretty good idea about that."  
Just as they were leaning in, "Hey Isobel! Isobel!" called a voice behind them.  
Isobel turned to see "Robin." Her voice dripped with distain "What do you want?"  
Robin Good fellow ran up "The boss lady wants to see you right now!" he gave her this weird look.  
"The boss lady?" Remus asked.  
Robin looked at him for the first time "Oh hey Remus."  
Isobel looked back at Remus "Boos lady is just Robin's term for Titania. I'm sorry but I have to go see what she wants." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and ran off behind Robin. Remus just stood there surprised.  
  
From the other side of the courtyard came James, Peter and Sirius. "Hey where's Isobel?' asked Peter looking around at the empty yard.  
"She went off with Robin. Titania wanted to talk to her." Remus shrugged.  
"Moony you just let your girlfriend run off with another guy?" joked James.

"Robin? That guy who follows Adrian around? He's toadying for Titania now? But man are you trusting, letting Isobel go off with no explanation." Laughed Sirius "But seriously , Isobel is like above reproach. She'd never lie to you."


	9. Why do bad things always happen?

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: I'm trying to post up to chapter 15 which is the end of the first year.

Rated: R for language and mature themes to come.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter Nine: Why do bad things always happen?

Isobel ran after Robin to their meeting place. "What is it Titania?" she asked angrily. She looked at her friend's face "Oh God, what is it?"  
"They've hit St. Anthony's-on-the-Grand. The city's been destroyed. No survivors."  
Isobel shook her head "No." she whispered.  
"We just found out today. I've been quietly informing everyone separately of the tragedy." Titania looked at her "I'm sorry, about all this."  
Isobel collapsed in a nearby chair.  
"You can not tell Remus anything, you understand. No one must know."  
She glared up at her friend "Well their going to notice when you're done telling everyone. How can the rest of the school fail to notice how upset everyone suddenly became?!" she yelled.  
"Well what would you have me do?! Tell everyone everything. I think not!" Titania shouted back.  
"No, don't tell anyone outside our group. Keep this to a minimum, OK?"  
Titania nodded "OK."  
Isobel gave her wan smile. "Well I think I'll head back to Remus now." With that she headed out of the room and through the halls of the castle in search of her boyfriend. As she walked pass the haunted girls' lavatories on the second floor she ran into Snape, literally. "Watch where you're going, you git!" Isobel yelled.  
Snape glared at her "Watch where I'm going? Watch where you're going! And anyways where's your little flock of Ravens?" He sneered.  
"It's a Murder."  
"What?" Snape replied.  
"A Murder. A group of Ravens are called a Murder." Isobel pulled out her wand "You know you shouldn't be wandering the halls alone. Things could happen if you're not careful."  
He looked at her hard "Are you threatening me?"  
In the distance the sound of footsteps could be herd. "Hey that was cool. Hey James, James!" a familiar voice called.  
Both turned to see the Marauders coming up a side passage.  
"What's going on here?" asked James as they came into view of Isobel and Snape. Both James and Sirius stood between Isobel and Snape with their wands out "You better not be bothering this young lady."  
Remus slipped up next to Isobel "Are you alright?"  
She nodded "Yeah, I'm fine."  
James and Sirius closed in on Snape. "How 'bout we show him what happens to Slytherins who try to harm poor innocent girls."  
Snape at where Isobel was hidden by the boys "I'm going to get you for this, Lupe." He yelled attempting to lunge at her.  
At that moment she had a flash of a vision. A snake winding it's way through a skull. She gasped slightly. 'Snape! There's a connection  
between Snape and that symbol. This is bad.' "Come on let's go. No harm  
done." She tugged on Remus' sleeve. "Please Remus I want to go, NOW."  
Remus looked at Isobel with disbelief "OK...." He said letting  
her drag him off the way they came.  
Sirius, James and Peter hurried up behind them "What was that all about? I know you're worried we'll get in trouble if we beat up Snivellus but we can take care of ourselves. You can't just let him push you around!" James snapped.  
"Shut up, just shut up!" Isobel yelled "OK I didn't make you leave because of that. I've been friends with Titania and Medea since forever; I'm used to that kind of behaviour. I wanted to leave because of something I saw." After seeing their puzzled looks she continued "I'm a seer. I have visions. And well I had one while we were back there. I...I couldn't...I just couldn't stay there after it." Isobel shook her head as if to dislodge the bad memory.  
Remus wrapped his arms around her waist "It's OK. What did you see?" he whispered quietly to her.  
"I can't tell you. I'm not suppose to. The school I attended before Hogwarts though us to control out 'gifts' and that it was imperative that we never tell anyone what we saw so as not to disrupt Fate. Sorry." She finished, shrugging her shoulder.  
Sirius huffed "Well you're no fun. Come on maybe we can still catch Snivellus again." James and Sirius lopped off down the hall.  
Peter looked between the two groups "Um...Ah...I'm...going...yeah." He took off after the others.  
Isobel looked at Remus again "I'm really sorry." She pleaded.  
"Remus smiled "It's OK. To tell you the truth I don't like when they pick on him. So thanks." He kissed her cheek.  
"Want to go somewhere quiet?" she got an evil gleam in her eye.  
"Which would be...?" Remus began directing her down the corridor.  
"Oh, I don't know, we'll just have to see what we find." The couple tittered off down the hall in search for some privacy, but Isobel reminded herself to tell Titania what she had seen.


	10. Separation

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: I'm trying to post up to chapter 15 which is the end of the first year.

Rated: R for language and mature themes to come.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter Ten: Separation

It was the last day before Christmas holidays and no one was paying attention in class. In Transfiguration Professor McGonagall tried in vain to the class to settle down and work. "Quiet, quiet now!" No one heeded her and they continued to talk.  
James sat down in an empty desk in front of Lily. Strattling the chair, "So Lily you want to know what I wished for this Christmas?" he asked grinning.  
A pin to deflate your huge ego?" Lily tossed back.  
James put his hand to his chest "You wound me! No, I wished that you'd be my girlfriend next year." He made sad little puppy eyes at her.  
Lily just rolled her eyes and pushed him off his chair.  
Remus, Sirius and Peter watch from across the room. "When is he ever going to learn?" Sirius said resignly.  
"He is persistent; you have to give him that." Remus added.  
James was still trying to talk to Lily.  
Over in Charms, Isobel sat huddled in the corner with the other Ravens; Titania, Ursula, Undine and Medea "So what's the plan? How are we getting home tomorrow?"  
Titania checked to see that no one was listening before speaking "We're going to go back through the Embassy in London. I thought this way we don't draw attention and we draw out the homecoming as long as possible."  
Ursula looked resignly around the room "What will they be told if...if we don't..." her voice broke.  
"If we don't come back?" Isobel finished for her "I suspect something like they were told with Marcus' death." She answered her own question while fingering her locket. 'Marcus why did you have to leave? Why did you have to leave us to them? I wish I didn't have to do this. I wish you weren't dead.'  
"Hey Isobel it's not going to be like that. No one's going to die. You're not going to meet your brother's fate." Undine fiercely. "None of us are."  
"Let's just worry about this if and when it happens. OK?" Medea said to everyone.  
  
The next day came all too soon for Isobel and Remus. The Marauders were spending the holidays at Hogwarts and at the last moment so did Remus. The Entrance Hall was a mess, students ran around, bringing their trunks for the trip home. Others said goodbye to their departing friends and laughing and joking with those staying. Remus stood next to Isobel just out of the way of the other students.  
Holding each others' hands, not knowing what to say and not wanting to say goodbye, they just stood. "I have to get going, you know." She whispered into the side of his neck.  
"I know." He answered back not letting go.  
"I promise to write often. And I'll send your gift to you." Isobel said hugging him close.  
"You don't have to do that. All I want is for you to be here for Christmas, but since I can't have that, I'll settle for your address so I can write to you too."  
She lifted her head and smiling looked at Remus' eyes. "Oh, I think I can do that." She slipped out of his arms and rummaged for some parchment "Here." Isobel said after scribbling something on the paper. "Your owl should be able to find me this way."  
The piece of parchment read:  
Ms. Isobel Lupe  
The Marches  
Lia Fal  
c/o Mr. R, Finn  
1422 Queensway Row  
London  
  
Remus looked at her quizzical "What's with this address?" he asked.  
Isobel smiled "Well out house is really remote. I mean really remote. So we have a mailing service deliver out mail to us. That's why there's two addresses on it. Don't worry  
your love letters will stay secret." She laughed quietly. "Come on now I really do have to leave now."  
Remus pulled her into a deep embrace "I'll miss you."  
Isobel looked into his eyes "I'm only going to be gone for three weeks! You're making a big deal out of nothing!" she huffed even though she had a big grin on her face. She was secretly worried that it wouldn't be just three weeks. "I'll miss you too." She whispered kissing his cheek "No doubt about that."  
They heard Ursula call over "Hey Polaris we've got a train to catch!"  
Isobel turned to look at the students heading out the door "I guess I'm going now." They kissed one last time before Isobel grabbed her trunk and followed the others to the train waiting in Hogsmeade.  
  
All during their trip back to London, Isobel stared out the window. She let out a deep sigh.  
"Oh please don't start with that!" hissed Lydia who sat across from her.  
Isobel glared at the Slytherin girl "Why don't you shut up!" She got up and stomped out of the compartment and headed to where Medea sat.  
"Hey there girl." Medea whispered to her after looking at her face.  
"Alright, but I don't want to do this!" Isobel whined.  
plopping down on the seat beside Medea.  
Medea smirked at her "It'll be fine and in three weeks you'll be back with lover boy."  
Isobel gave a derisive laugh.


	11. Christmas for All

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: I'm trying to post up to chapter 15 which is the end of the first year.

Rated: R for language and mature themes to come.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter Eleven: Christmas for All

The next three weeks proved to not go as Medea predicted, instead of being fine they went by in a haze of blood, mud, screaming and violence. The five friends, Titania, Ursula, Undine, Isobel and Medea were left deeply shaken by the events but had proven to be some of the best warriors out there and were highly decorated military heroes in the end. Many other of their friends at Hogwarts had fought along side them but no deaths among them to everyone's relief. Now with only a day to go before returning to school the teenagers regrouped and attempted to recollect themselves, because they of course could tell no one of what happened and couldn't be seen acting strange. This all proved harder than they would have liked.

Titania and Isobel stood, back in Titania's home, facing the large mirror in the forth floor hall. They looked at each others reflection. Titania wore a long blue gown with gold trim and her hair pinned up loosely. Isobel wore a light yellow, velvet gown with an olive green underdress with her hair pulled up at the top. "Well don't we look lovely?" She said sarcastically looking  
at their faces. Titania had a long row of stitches running along her brow, a swollen lip and an ugly black bruise on her left cheek. "You know I think my mother is more abusive with the war on. People can't tell what's from the battles... and what's from her." She said wryly looking at her friend's reflection.

Isobel turned her head and the mirror reflected a new section of her face, one eye was ringed in a black eye, it went all the way from her eyebrow down to her cheekbone. Her jaw was slightly swollen from where her jaw was recently mended. Isobel's hands bore countless lash marks and small cuts. "You know you might be right about that." She looked back into the mirror "So how are we going to hide all this?"  
Titania smiled at her friend "How else, like we always do, with a little magic and a whole lot of glamour." She said waving her hand across her face, when she pulled away it was if the wounds had never been there. "So did you spend any time with your sisters?"  
Isobel nodded "Yeah, it was nice. Made sure they weren't being hurt. Oh and I finally got my present from Remus!" she thrust out her hand to show off a little gold ring. It was nothing extravagant, she had plenty more jewelry that was hundreds times more expensive but Remus gave it to her so therefore it was...priceless.  
"Well it wouldn't've been silver now would it, but it's pretty." Titania commented looking at the pinky ring. It had a small stone in it.  
"I'm a little worried about seeing Remus again. Come on he didn't spend his winter holidays trying to stay alive. He didn't have to kill. He spent a nice quiet Christmas at Hogwarts. I guess I'm worried that I'll be different, that he won't love me anymore." Isobel sobbed.  
Titania placed a comforting arm on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Remus loves you for you, no matter what you've seen or done in the last three weeks." She insisted "Come on we'll go home, I'm to Hogwarts, and everything will be the same."  
  
Back at Hogwarts Remus had spent a long and boring Christmas. The full moon was becoming more and more fun now that his friends could transform. They had wandered around Hogsmeade during the full moon and Hogwarts during the day. Not too many other students stayed this year so the common room was virtually empty. They discovered, to James and Sirius' delight that Snivellus had stayed for the holidays. Remus had to come up with new and different ways to keep the boys from fighting. Much to James' happiness and the other Marauders chagrin, Lily was also still at Hogwarts. James spent every night in the common room asking Lily to go out with him.  
"Maybe he'll ask her so much that she'll say yes just to shut him up." Peter whispered to the others as they watched James primp in front of Lily and her friends. He ran his fingers through his hair making it stand on end. Lily gave a loud snort.  
"Well Moony, happy that Isobel will be back tomorrow?" Sirius asked slyly.  
"Yeah of course! Well... except for my Christmas present she hasn't written or anything." Remus sighed.  
"Don't worry I'm sure she was busy with her family. She'll be back tomorrow and then you'll see that she still likes you." Sirius told him shaking his head. "Besides we really should be worried about how nosy Snivellus is getting. I don't like it. He really is trying to figure out your secret Remus. He's going to find out you're a werewolf, Moony." Sirius continued.  
Remus gestured for him to keep it down. "Quiet Padfoot, do you want everyone to find out? Snape is not going to find out. He'd have to follow me to the Shrieking shack, but that's not going to happen because no one's allowed near the Womping Willow since that Davy kid nearly lost an eye last year, see I'm save. Come on my own girlfriend doesn't know. Only you three do. That's it." With that Remus gave a final shake of his head and headed up to bed.  
Dawn glowed brightly through the drapes of Remus' bed "Uhgh!" he groaned rolling over but his eyes snapped open the moment he remembered "Isobel's coming back!" he yelled waking the others in the room.  
"Who? What?" mumbled James.  
"I don't wanna wake up mummy..." Peter muttered sleepily  
"Go back to bed Moony." called Sirius rolling over in his bed.  
Remus didn't though, he clamoured out of bed and hurriedly threw on his clothes. He was too jittery to stay in bed. He wandered around the grounds for an hour waiting for breakfast. All through breakfast he kept telling the other Marauders how much time was left 'til Isobel returned "4 hours, 23 minutes and 40 seconds....39 seconds...38 seconds...."  
"Oh shut up!" James said tossing his crust at Remus.  
"I'm sorry but I really, really, really miss her."  
The other boys grinned. "You really do like her. And for some unknown reason she likes you back. I mean man if you told me that you, Remus Lupin, had snagged one of the hottest girls in the school I would have laughed in your face. But wow she's like into you." Sirius commented not noticing Remus' face go red.  
"Come on guys, cut it out. Now help me plan the next 4 hours, 22 minutes and 32 seconds...31 seconds...30seconds."  
The Marauders just rolled their eyes and returned to their  
food. James dragged Remus and the others down to the Quidditch pitch for some practice "Come on Moony. This will burn off some of that time 'til your girlfriend comes back." He insisted.  
Remus begrudgingly agreed. The four boys played a game of keep away for the rest of the morning. Remus stopped, perched high above the pitch watching out over the lake.  
"Hey Moony! Are you asleep up there?" Sirius asked after the Quffle almost unseated him.  
"No." he yelled back as he zoomed back down the pitch. "Their back! She's back!" he laughed coming down beside them "Isobel's back!" Remus brought his broomstick back to the ground jumping off of it three feet above the ground. He began running down towards the road up to the school.  
The horseless carriages were rolling up the path in front of him. Once they had stopped at the doors to the school, Isobel jumped out of one of them and ran towards Remus. He swung her around lifting her off the ground.  
Isobel kissed allover her face while she held on to him. "Oh I missed you, I missed you." She said between kisses.  
"So did I ." he whispered back.  
By this time the carriages had emptied and a large crowd had gathered round. "It's good to see at least someone missed us!" cried out Ursula, laughing. The other Ravens were doubled over trying to hide their laughter.  
"Shut up." Isobel called back. Remus followed Isobel back into the castle , helping her take her trunk up to the Ravenclaw Tower "OK now you can't come in here or hear the password so scoot, vamoose. I'll be back down in the Great Hall for Lunch. Meet me there." She said standing outside the secret entrance.  
"OK." Remus agreed dejectedly giving her a quick peck on the cheek.


	12. The Prank and the Womping Willow

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: I'm trying to post up to chapter 15 which is the end of the first year.

Rated: R for language and mature themes to come.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter Twelve: The Prank and the Womping Willow

The beginning of January a blizzard hit Hogwarts. The wind howled and snow pelted down over the castle. Snape had begun to become a little too nosy over where Remus went every month. Finally Sirius had had enough, he had secretly told Snape that if he touched the knot on the Womping willow he would discover the secret. So at the next full moon Snape followed Remus out to the willow and after poking the tree with a stick, slipped down the hole in the base of the now immobilized tree.

Sirius stood hidden off to the side laughing silently when James and Peter came over.  
"You're here early." James remarked.  
'What's so funny?" Peter asked.  
"Snape. I told him how to find out where Remus goes. He's down there right now." Sirius chuckled.  
James then tore off for the tree praying that he wasn't too late. When he got into the tunnel he saw Snape only a few meters ahead. "Stop!" he yelled running up and grabbing Snape's arm but at the other end James and Snape could just see the beginnings of Remus' transformation. "Oh no, Run!"  
James dragged Snape back out of the tunnel  
"I knew it, I knew it! He's a werewolf, a monster! How could Dumbledore let that....that thing in here!" Snape spat at James. His eyes narrowed "You! You and your little friends are behind this! Aren't you? Well I hope you're happy!" with that Snape began to storm off to the castle.  
James ran after him, followed by Sirius and Peter "Where's he going?" Peter asked  
"He saw Remus, and I bet you anything he's going to tell everyone. We have to get Dumbledore now!" James sent Peter to fetch Dumbledore while the other two boys chased after Snape. They finally cornered Snape down near the dungeons. "Snape you've got it all wrong!" James yelled. "Listen I did not set you up. You can't go off a spout off to everyone what you saw. Look we're taking you to Dumbledore. We'll get this sorted out."  
"There's no need to take Mr. Snape anywhere Mr. Potter."  
Dumbledore said calmly from behind them "Come to my office all of you and we will talk this over." The Headmaster led the boys back down the hall.  
Out from behind a suit of armour half way down the hall, slunk a short little second-year Hufflepuff who scurried down the hall.  
  
The Hufflepuff reached the Astronomy tower out of breath a few moments later "Your...Lady...ship." The second-year wheezed out collapsing on the floor. "Something's happened."  
The group of assembled Ravens looked down at the thirteen year old girl. She had recently joined the ranks of the Fool's court only days ago.  
Titania spoke up first "What did you see?" she asked the young spy.  
"Well lady, Severus Snape of Slytherin House discovered that Remus Lupin of Gryffindor House is a werewolf..." She replied after being helped off the floor.  
Isobel gave a slight gasp. 'Oh no poor Remus!' she thought.

"His friends cornered Snape and escorted him to the Headmaster's office."  
The girls looked at one another. They had all heard Isobel's vision and a few more in their group had had the same vision of others in Snape's general group but still no one knew what it meant. "This isn't good." muttered one of Eden's seventh year friends near the back.  
"What are we going to do? We can't just go up to them all and be like 'Hey how's it going, now that Snape's found out' so what?" Medea asked eyeing Isobel.  
"We'll keep like we always have. We know nothing. Thank you, Lucy." Titania nodded to the informant "Go back to your Common room now." The girl left. Titania sighed "You are all dismissed; we'll do this again next week. Oh Isobel could you stay for a second." She called as everyone made their way out.  
"Isobel please don't do anything rash. We can't let anyone know that we know."  
Isobel looked at Titania with a wry smile "Oh you're worried about me doing something rash? Definitely no worries there. That's your department, Titania." Isobel began to turn to leave but as she got to the trapdoor she turned around "actually I think I've got an idea that's right up your alley.' She smirked and filled Titania in on her plan.


	13. Secrets Revealed

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: I'm trying to post up to chapter 15 which is the end of the first year.

Rated: R for language and mature themes to come.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter Thirteen: Secrets Revealed

Remus was visibly shaken for weeks after the incident with Snape. Finally Remus had it out with Sirius. "How could you do that? To me? You know what could happen, what would happen, and yet still you did it. Snape could have died! I can't believe you would do this to me!" he yelled at Sirius in their empty dorm room, everyone had cleared out the moment they saw what was coming.  
"Woo, calm down Moony. We both know Snape would have found out sooner or later. I thought that if I put a little fear into him....Besides no harm done." Sirius scoffed.  
'No harm done?! The whole school almost found out and not all of them would be so excepting as you three. But still Sirius this was the first time you pulled a prank on one of us. This is the first time you put one of us in position where we could have been hurt! I don't know how you could think that everything would be fine, that this couldn't, wouldn't, go wrong. Well guess what, it did!" Remus yelled stomping out of the room. He stormed angrily through the halls not caring where he was going.

"Remus!" he heard Isobel call from the end of the hall behind him. She ran up to him. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" she asked concerned. 'If he tells me about what  
happens then I haven't gone against Titania.' She thought.  
Remus shook his head not looking at her. "Nothing, I'm fine. I just....just want to be alone OK?!"  
Isobel grabbed his wrist and pulled his face towards her. "Tell me. It's alright. Please tell me."  
He looked at her but turned away again. 'I wish I could tell you but you'll leave if I do and I don't want to lose you.'  
"I know something's wrong, Remus don't lie."  
Remus took a deep breath, seeing that he had no other choice, she wouldn't take no for an answer this time. "Ok, you want to know what's wrong. I'll tell you but not here." He led her through the halls of the castle and out onto the lawn and sat Isobel down on a secluded bench. "Ok...um...I don't know how to tell you this. I know that you'll want to break up with me after this but all I want you to know is that you have made these past months the best in my life and no matter what you can't tell others what I'm about to tell you. OK?"  
Isobel nodded "Of course Remus. I would never tell anyone. You mean a lot to me too." She held his hands.  
Remus stared down "Um...ah...I'm...a werewolf." He tentively looked up at her waiting to see the disgust and hate that didn't come.  
"Oh baby, you were worried that I'd dump you because you're a werewolf. Do you really think I'm that shallow? Actually I have something to tell you. I'm a Faerie. All of The Ravens are actually. That's why Professor Cadabra stopped teaching fairies, we asked Professor Dumbledore to stop it."  
He gave a shaking laugh "I guess we've both been keeping secrets."  
' If that was my only secret..' Isobel gave a small sad smile. "Yeah I guess. Sooo, I don't think you being a werewolf is the reason why you've been so out of it, or at least not the whole reason."  
Remus shifted uncomfortably "Um Snape found out. After Sirius pulled a prank on him that involved telling Snape how to find out I was a werewolf. I can't believe he would do that!" he raged. "He's my friend and he betrayed me, for what? To have some fun?"  
She pulled him close to her, holding his head next to her chest "Shhh, it's alright. No matter what I'm here for you."  
Remus wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a deep kiss "I love you." He whispered into Isobel's neck. "What?" she turned to look him in the eyes "What did you  
say?" not hoping she heard right. 'He didn't just say...'  
He looked deep into her sparkling blue eyes "I love you." He repeated.  
She flung herself into his arms "I love you too, Remus."  
They kissed again. All the world seemed to become right.  
'Who cares if Snape tells everyone that I'm a werewolf, Isobel LOVES me! ME!' he thought.  
Isobel held him tight 'What does it matter if there's a war. Who cares if this could all end tomorrow. Right now I have Remus.'


	14. OWLs

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: _italics_ taken from the Canadian edition of the Order of the Phoenix pgs. 566-572.

Rated: R for language and mature themes to come.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter Fourteen: OWLs

The months flew by and the work load got harder and the weather nicer, much to the chagrin of the fifth years as the OWLs drew closer. Remus' life had seemed to drastically improve over the course of that one night, he had been able to forgive Sirius, he no longer worried about Snape telling the school or lie to Isobel about his absences but above all else he was to the moon (HeHe I'm evil) about Isobel saying she loved him.  
Life was even happier now for Isobel too; her little plan seemed to keep Snape from daring to tell anyone. Every full moon they, The Ravens, would sit outside his window and howl like wolves. The next day Snape would emerge from the Slytherin common room paler than ever and noticeably jumpy. The girls would titer and laugh watching him. Remus and she had fallen into comfort zone now that there were no secrets, or at least less secrets, between them.  
Titania had begun operation LJ. She had begun to try to befriend Lily Evans and get her to see James as a saint, which in the shared opinions of Isobel and Remus was impossible.  
  
The OWLs test soon arrived and everyone felt caught off guard, even if they had been studying for months. Nearly the last day of testing had brought good weather much to the chagrin of the fifth and seventh years trapped inside. All the fifth years sat for their Defense against the Dark Arts OWL. The Marauders had taken seats relatively close to one another and were working away at the questions.  
'Hey Polaris! What's the negative log of the square root of pi inverse?' she heard Theasus ask panicking in her head.  
'Why the HELL should I know and why are you asking me, you're writing a history final. Anyway how do you defeat a....' but she was cut off when another member of the group entered the conversation.  
'Yo. I was wondering if anyone knew the answer to twenty two on my Law exam.' asked Melanie. This continued on throughout most of the exam, everyone got someone else to help them with a question they didn't get.  
'Hey you guys do know that this is cheating?' Isobel stated. Everyone nodded.  
'Yeah, so.'  
'Just thought I'd point that out.' She said checking over her answers. Isobel looked over at the four boys finishing up their tests. She had been done for fifteen minutes now, thanks to the groups help. In the back of her head she could hear one of her friends, most likely Ursula, singing some dumb pop song she got stuck in her head.  
'My god, that was sooo hard!' Titania sarcastically remarked.  
'Yeah it's so much easier when there are fifteen of you writing your test.' Medea added, she sat a few rows away from Sirius and two  
seats over from Isobel and Undine. Titania sat close to Adrian and Ursula sat off in the far corner. They didn't need to sit near each other to talk so they had spread out.  
'Don't he look cute?' asked Ursula slyly, knowing full well about the couple's pledge of love that Isobel and Remus had sworn days before St. Valentine's Day.  
Isobel scowled even though Ursula couldn't see it.  
_"Quills down please!" squeaked Professor Flitwick. "that means  
you too Stebbins! Please remain seated while I collect your parchment! Accio!"_  
The flying scrolls knocked down the tiny professor. A few  
students at the front ran up to help.  
They were dismissed and the girls gathered and headed out of the Hall after grabbing Lily and guiding her out.  
The crowd passed by the boys, Isobel standing at the edge brushed her fingers against Remus' as they all spilled out on to the grounds. The boys settled down under the Beech tree while The Ravens and Lily sat dangling their feet in the water.  
"Sooo, what do ya think of James Potter? I know you're not too keen but why? He's not that bad."  
Titania asked drawing patterns in the water with her toes.  
Lily gave a little grimace "Well he's arrogant, he's cocky, and he picks on everyone. I'm surprised his broom can get off the ground! Augh, I hate him!" she fumed.  
Ursula laughed "Maybe it's because he's desperate to impress you but you keep shutting him down. He acts up more to try to get you to notice him. If you got to know him a bit you'd  
probably see he's a really a nice person, or....." she gave everyone a naughty smile "He's a total ass!" she gaffed.  
"Oh shut up you're not helping." Medea said smacking her arm "He really isn't that bad. He's insecure I think, just like Ursula said. Get to know him. You'll be surprised."  
The girls began to notice a bit of a ruckus starting behind them. Titania flicked her gaze to the Marauders who were beginning to pick on Snape then to Isobel giving her the look 'Go and stop them now, before Lily sees. Isobel rose and slipped over to the boys_. Snape lay panting on the ground. James and Sirius advanced on him, wands raised. James glanced over his shoulder at the girls at the water's edge as he went._  
"Oh great!' Isobel thought sarcastically as she looked where he was looking. 'He is sooo going to blow this. Lily was just reconsidering. He's gotta learn.'  
_ "How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" said James.  
"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment"  
said Sirius viciously. "There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word."_ The crowd was getting darker by the moment. No one liked Snape, not even Isobel but that wasn't her concern. She caught Remus' eye, he seamed busy trying to pretend he didn't see anything. "Are you really going to allow them to get away with this? Lily is beginning to actually like James and he's going to royally screw it!" Remus didn't look up at her.  
_ "Wash out your mouth," James said coldly "Scourgify!" Pink soap bubbles streamed from Snape's mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag, choking him-  
"Leave him ALONE!"_  
Isobel's head whipped around, Lily was attempting up behind her unaware of the people behind her trying to stop her. _(pg 570 "All right Evans?" – pg 572 "Who wants to see me  
take off Snivelly's pants?" I'm too lazy to type this all out you gotta read it  
yourself.)_  
Isobel couldn't stand it any longer. James was digging his hole deeper and deeper with respect to Lily. "Alright that's enough people!" she bellowed. The crowd looked over at her. "Nothing more to see. Mr. Potter please release Mr. Snape. Now!" James glared at her. She walked up close to him as though to intimidate him. "Listen I don't want to get you in trouble but picking a fight with Snape is precisely the reason why Lily will not go out with you. So stop now or you'll never get her." She hissed.  
James seamed to struggle with this for a moment. "Alright Snivellus it's your lucky day. This nice lady has convinced me to let you go." He released Snape, who dropped like a sack of potatoes on the ground.  
Isobel huffed off, not even looking at Remus.  
Titania and the other Ravens stood in a tiff. "How could you let that happen?! We almost had her!" Titania hissed venomently to her.  
"I know, I know! But what was I to do? Anything I could have done would have gotten her attention pretty quickly." Isobel yelled back. "Get off my back!" she ran off back to the castle.  
Remus saw her run pass. He took off after her. He chased her through the halls back towards Ravenclaw Tower. He had almost caught up to her when see disappeared inside. "Damn it!" he swore stopping at the end of the hall.


	15. End of Term

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: end of the first year. R&R folks

Rated: R for language and mature themes to come.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter Fifteen: End of Term

June came as a sigh of relief for all. Two days before end of term the Marauders and Isobel sat in the shade of the same Beech tree from the OWLs. "So what's everybody's plans for the summer?" asked Peter

. Sirius crossed his arms sullenly "Home with my finical parents and dumb brother. Who by the way is coming here next year. Yeah me."

Isobel smiled "So's my sister Mercedes. But I'm going to Titania's house. Well sorta, we've rented this old house in Blaire. All The Ravens. Oh and few of our other friends from back home."  
The boys raised an eyebrow to this. "There wouldn't happen to be boys in this group of friends now would there? Well I'm going to practicing my Quidditch. But you're all welcome at my house any time." James said.  
Isobel turned to Remus placing her arms around his waist. "_Please_. I've known half of them since we were _diapers_, that kills virtually all romantic interest, 'specially when they're related to you." She looked at Remus "You'll likely be invited to our summer party."  
Remus smiled "I'd like you to come to my house sometime."  
They both smiled sweetly.  
Sirius and James made retching noises "Please get a room, you two."  
Isobel swatted Sirius "You're incorrigible!" she looked back at the group "I bet you'll all have a fine summer together." 'As usual!' she added silently. "Come on you won the Quidditch cup again! This has been a wholly successful year in all." She smirked slipping off back to her friends "See ya at the feast."  
  
Everyone was laughing and talking animatedly to all their friends about various summer plans and remembrances of the year as they boarded the train home. The Ravens sat broken up over three or four compartments. Members of the Fool's court mixed freely between them and their other friends. Movement in the corridors had never been so heavy. The End of term feast still buoyed everyone's spirits. Isobel had popped in on the Marauders for a little while during the trip and had bounced back and forth between The Ravens groups and the Fool's Court, who would be at the house in Blaire. Some of the others from "Back home" were going to meet them at the station.  
"Ahh, this is going to be so great! No parental units anywhere! How'd we get so lucky?" Medea laughed out loud.  
Titania smiled with an evil gleam in her eye "The Ambassador owes me one. Fair's fair. We get the house and I don't blab. That and my mum's Queen"  
They laughed at this. The train soon reached the station near dinner time. Students disembarked in a flurid frenzy. Trunks and cages banged everywhere. Remus and his friends  
dragged their trunks off while holding on their owl cages. Remus spotted Mr. and Mrs. Black first, dressed up in high wizard fashion talking with other Pureblood parents. His parents were talking to Mrs. Pettigrew. Mr. and Mrs. Potter seemed to be absorbed in the commotion going on at the far end. And a commotion in King's Cross was hard to do with everyone hurrying to find friends and family, disembark or catch their train. But this group was talking and  
laughing loudly while playfully pushing and shoving each other into passersby.  
They were about their age maybe a few years older, six people in all. Dressed in a Muggle fashion he hadn't seen before. Boys wore baggy jeans with tee shirts over dress shirts. Girls wore tiny little tops that bared their stomachs and very low cut jeans. Isobel and her friends  
got off behind him. He heard a sharp squeal and saw as the girls ran over to each other and jumped up and down together. The boys said hi without moving.  
Isobel came over to Remus "Hey you going to stay in touch?" she asked.  
Remus started at her for a few seconds before "Oh, Isobel I'd like you to meet my parents." He indicated to the two adults off to the side standing with the Potters. "Mum, Dad I'd like you to meet Isobel Lupe, my girlfriend."  
Isobel smiled and shook their hands. "It's very nice to meet you; Remus has told us so much about you."  
Remus' father laughed good naturedly "Only good things I hope."  
"Of course." Isobel laughed.  
Mr. Potter at this point addressed her "Are those your friends?" he indicated to the group of teens at the far end which had been joined by Titania and the others.  
"Friends is such a strong word." She said dryly. "No they're my friends. Can't get rid of them."  
The boys introduced their families too, all except Sirius "You  
don't want to meet my folks."  
She talked with them for a few moments before her friends got jealous of the attention and called for her.  
"Yo girl!"  
"Hey Polaris, time to go!"  
With one last smiled and a quick good-bye Isobel headed off with her friends. Remus' mother turned to him "What a nice young girl. She really has got a good head on her shoulder. But you didn't tell her about you know..." she whispered the last part.  
"Yes mum I've told her. She didn't care. She took it rather calmly. She won't tell, the guys didn't."  
  
Isobel's friends teased her mercilessly as they headed for the cars "Aw, so that's the boy. He's nothing special." Joked Ian pushing her slightly into Medea's brother Theasus.  
"Yeah. Why not me? Keep it in house?" Sean asked another one of Theasus and Ian's friends. He had had a crush on her since she joined.  
"Because you use terms like in house. Eww... Come on Sean you're like my bother. Well not my brother...." She trailed off fingering her necklace.  
"No one will be like Marcus, Iz. No one will replace him. I'm more like a brother, not like your brother." Sean said wrapping an arm around her.  
Medea hung off the arm of her boyfriend Bran. "Oh let's cheer up! We're here!" she pointed to two parked limos. They stowed the nine Hogwarts students' luggage and sped off to Blaire and their summer vacation.


	16. Year Two: Start of Term

This is my first story originally posted on Death-Curse.

A/N: I'm not sure but the beginning of chapter fifteen may have read wrong, it should be End of term. R&R folks

Rated: R for language and mature themes to come.

Both Sides of Life

Chapter Sixteen: Year Two: Start of Term

September first rolled around too fast for everyone. It seemed like only yesterday the July carnival in Blaire had had them buying cotton candy and running around, enjoying the music and fireworks. Remus was amazed 'Every year they hold this? How come no one else has heard of this?' he thought as he packed up his trunk with only days to go. This was by far the best summer Remus could remember. Isobel had spent a weekend at his house. His parents loved her! He in return had come to the carnival and had been up to two in the morning. He spent time at both Peter's and James' houses. All the Marauders had gotten together for the full moons and ran around in the countryside near his house. Sirius was the only one who had any faults with this summer. He hated being at home. It was driving him close to the edge. He had been threatening to leave for weeks. James had told him if he wanted to he could live with him. Remus had written to Isobel every week, twice usually. She back to him. She seemed to be having loads of fun with her friends. He was worried a bit about seven guys living for two months with his girlfriend. He didn't know what was happening but he trusted her so he never vocalized his thoughts. Two days and he'd see her again.  
  
Two days and she'd see him again!? Isobel had lost track of the days...about two hours after arriving in Blaire. The endless amounts of social events, partying and other activities kept her always on the go. Her weekend with Remus' family was her time off, and even then it wasn't a time to slack off, she had to impress these people. His appearance at the festival had made it extra special. But Isobel was use to the running around, it was what she'd have to do at home. Speaking of home she had to spend a week back home with her family though, small details about inheritance and her sister Mercedes acceptance to Hogwarts drew her back. Unfortunately that meant she had to spend her last week in the presence of her abusive father and sometimes negligent mother but she took her sister to Lia Fail for a few days and visited the museums. Now she was packing to go back, along with her little sister. Isobel moaned softly.  
  
The Marauders met up again on the Platform 9 3/4 as they said goodbye to their parents and found an empty compartment to sit. Sirius was inexplicably followed by a little first year who had to be his brother Regulus.  
"Go away!" he shouted for the forth time since getting onboard.  
"Mummy told you not to speak to me like that!" Regulus pouted.  
"Go find friends your own age. And quit bothering me!" Regulus scampered off.  
A few minutes later the door opened again. "I said go away Regulus!" Sirius bellowed.  
"Who's Regulus?" asked a feminine voice. The boys saw Isobel standing in the door.  
"Oh, sorry thought you were my brother."  
She raised an eyebrow to this "Can I sit with you boys?"  
Remus shifted over so she had room. Isobel sat down between Remus and the window. James and Sirius sat opposite. The group chatted and got to know Isobel better. About three  
hours into their journey the door open once again.  
"Hey! Stop it!" cried a whinny voice as two first years fell in.  
"Regulus!"  
"Mercedes!"  
Yelled Sirius and Isobel at the same time upon seeing their younger siblings.  
"Sirius this girl keeps bothering me and won't stop following me!" Regulus whimpered.  
"I am not following you! Isobel the others aren't letting me sit with them!" Mercedes whined.  
Regulus stared at the young girl who looked exactly like her sister. "You're her sister? The half-blood's girlfriend? I still don't know how he got a girl." He shot.  
Sirius grabbed his brother's arm "Out" he yelled throwing Regulus out.  
Isobel turned to Mercedes "This is the last time I will refer to you as my sister." She smiled.  
"Sister, what sister? You know 'cause we can't be sisters. I mean so what if we the same last name and look exactly alike we can't be sisters." Mercedes joked. She waved goodbye and left the compartment.  
  
They arrived past sunset at Hogwarts and Isobel saw Mercedes onto the boats them rode with her friends.  
"Have a good time with Remus?" asked Ursula making a kissy face at her.  
"Yeah how are the boys?" asked Medea innocently.  
Isobel looked at her carefully "Why do you want to know?"  
Medea kept up the innocent act "No reason. Just wondering."  
Titania looked at her now "You don't like one of the Marauders do you?" she asked shrewdly.  
Medea squirmed in her seat as they sat down to the Welcoming Feast "Well.... Maybe. A bit...Sorta."  
They all looked at Medea now. "Who?"  
"Sirius, but it's nothing! I just think he's cute. Nothing more!" But none of them were convinced though.  
Mercedes was sorted into Hufflepuff and Regulus was sorted into Slytherin, no surprise. The feast was as good as any other year but their biggest delight came with Dumbledore's speech.  
"I'd like to remind everyone new and old that the Forbidden Forest is strictly forbidden. Mr. Filch would like me to remind you of the 375 items banned from the school;  
there are twenty new items on the list this year. The full list can be found in the caretaker's office. Also this year to celebrate Hogwarts' first millennium we well be having a Yule ball this  
year. All forth years and up are invited to come. That is all, and now it is time for me to bid you good night before you must clean out the cobwebs in your head from the summer."  
Everyone headed up to their common rooms to sleep and prepare for a now year but the school was buzzing over the announcement of a Yule Ball this year.  
"This is so going to be great!" chimed Ursula as the girls headed up for the night.  
"I know. Oh, who are you going with?" asked Undine.  
"Well let's see.... Titania will go with her boyfriend Adrian and Isobel with Remus her boyfriend that's obvious. The rest of us, well that's up in the air." Medea said shrugging.  
Titania grinned evilly "Hey too bad about the boyfriend 'cause then you could go with Sirius."  
"No! No, Titania you already hooked one of us up with a Marauder. No more!" Medea insisted crawling into bed.


End file.
